Cephalostachyum chevalieri

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; 800 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.3 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 11–12 cm long; 20–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 12–14 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 15–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 4–5 mm long. Lower glume surface smooth. Lower glume apex mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume surface smooth. Upper glume mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 9–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea 9–10 mm long; chartaceous; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels. Palea keels approximate; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate; 4–5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6; 4 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2002.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.